On Site Sewage

On-Site Sewage Facility Permit

Often called a septic system, an on-site sewage facility (OSSF) treats and disposes of wastewater right on the property, handling no more than 5,000 gallons a day. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers additional background on how these systems work. State law requires both property owners and installers to obtain an OSSF permit from the City of Fredville before any system is built, altered or repaired.

Regulatory Authority

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has authorized the City of Fredville to act as its agent for this program. Most of the program's requirements come from the TCEQ on-site sewage facility rules found in 30 TAC Chapter 285. Additional authority comes from the state Health and Safety Code, Title 5, Chapters 341 and 366, which cover sanitation and environmental quality. Local requirements are set out in the on-site sewage provisions of the Fredville Code of Ordinances.

Services Provided

• Permitting: Staff review applications, fees and planning materials for new and existing systems so owners can receive a permit to build and an authorization to operate an OSSF.
• Inspections: Inspections take place during permitting, before a system may be built and put into service, and during complaint investigations to resolve compliance problems.
• Complaint investigation: Reports of exposed sewage are generally handled as a system inspection centered on compliance. These cases may involve legal notices that give the owner time to correct the problem, with enforcement to follow if the owner does not respond.

Fee Schedule

A $225 permit fee is due at the time you submit your application.

OSSF Maintenance Practices

• Go easy on the garbage disposal and keep grease out of your drains. Food grinders build up sludge and scum quickly, which leads to more frequent pumping or even system failure.
• Keep facial tissues, paper towels, cigarette butts and other trash out of the toilet. Flushing them wastes water and sends solids into a system that is not designed to handle them.
• Get your septic tank inspected yearly at a minimum and have it pumped when needed, and plan to pump treatment tanks at least every two to three years. As sludge and scum accumulate, solids can escape the tank, plug the drainfield or push sewage back up into household fixtures. Septic tanks work without chemical additives or enzymes, and chemicals should never be used to clean them.
• Commercial septic service companies can pump your tanks. Under state law, OSSF owners may hire only liquid waste haulers registered with TCEQ for this work.
• Never put a driveway, storage building or any other structure on top of a treatment tank or drainfield.
• Normal household amounts of soap, detergent, bleach, drain cleaner and other cleaning products will not noticeably harm a septic tank. Even so, use them in moderation.

Ordinance

• Fredville on-site sewage facility ordinance

Documents

• On-site sewage permit application packet (PDF)

Fredville is a demonstration city built by Talk to Fred. Names, numbers and details on this page are sample content.